Brisbane: Mary Fowler joined star striker Sam Kerr on the injury list Wednesday on the eve of Australia’s Women’s World Cup game against Nigeria, testing the depth of the Matildas’ attacking resources.
Australian captain Kerr missed the Matildas’ opening game last week because of a calf muscle injury that was publicly revealed just an hour before kickoff, silencing a record crowd of almost 76,000 at the match.
The injury will also keep her out of Thursday’s Group B game against Nigeria — and perhaps longer than that.
Manchester City striker Fowler replaced Kerr in the 1-0 win over Ireland but was largely contained by the defense. Fowler and defender Aivi Luik sustained mild concussions in separate practice accidents, the Matildas announced Wednesday. The team said both players have recovered and have commenced Football Australia’s graduated return to play protocools.
Having the World Cup on home soil has given Australia’s team the confidence it can contend for the title even without some their biggest stars on the field.
The Matildas are pitching it as a chance to show the depth of their squad.
“I think we could play any one of us right now in the starting 11 and it would be the same as what we do on the training pitch,” midfielder Tameka Yallop said from Australia’s team camp in Brisbane earlier in the week. “So I think everyone has that ability and capability to step up and be a star at any point.”
Steph Catley, wearing the captain’s armband in place of Kerr, converted a penalty kick for co-host Australia’s opening win. Despite the win, the Matildas’ offense struggled to create scoring opportunities, with only two shots on target.
Against a Nigeria team that held Canada to a scoreless draw in its Group B opener, Australia will need to prove that it has players throughout the team that can be difference-makers in Kerr’s absence.
“I think we’ve got the best squad that we’ve had,” Yallop said.
Building depth has been a priority for Tony Gustavsson throughout his first three years in charge of the Matildas. Shortly after he was hired, a December 2020 performance report released by Football Australia showed the program had the least overall depth of the 12 leading nations analyzed.
The Matildas’ struggles to replace injured defender Clare Polkinghorne during the 2019 Women’s World Cup contributed to their exit in the round of 16, their worst finish since 2003.
To prepare for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the Matildas emphasized the development of young players. Gustavsson’s team has come a long way, and the growth of Cortnee Vine, Fowler, Clare Hunt, Mackenzie Arnold, Charlotte Grant and Kyra Cooney-Cross into starting 11-caliber talents gives the team confidence moving forward.
The team knew it had the depth necessary to contend on the world stage in April when it beat European champion England 2-0 in a friendly.
“That’s the game where we all felt like it really clicked,” Grant said earlier in the week. “It’s amazing that we’ve built so much depth over the past one to two years.”
Australia’s win over England featured a goal from 21-year-old Grant and saw Australia use nine players who did not play in the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Gustavsson’s willingness to give young players minutes in big games fueled the team’s belief in the ability of each member of the squad.
Fowler and Vine have been among the players being thrust into key roles in attack. The return of Yallop and Grant from injury and illness for the Nigeria does return some depth against an opponent that frustrated Olympic champion Canada.
During the Cup of Nations in February, seven different Australian players scored in three games.
“I think that’s why we’re so dangerous,” midfielder Katrina Gorry said. “You never know where the goals are going to come from.”
AP